Veggies and Carrots
by Shikamaru'sLove
Summary: Full Story! After an incident with a sandwich, Bulma banished Vegeta from the gravity chamber until he apologized, which is unlikely. Retreating into the woods to train, he hears the soft sounds of a sobbing child...a child with a tail. Now complete, pending small blurbs
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! Finally after five years of waiting, the full release of Veggies and Carrots is here! It ended up being a lot so I figured I'd post it in chunks. If you read the teaser, not much has changed except a few details here and there but this chapter does have a lot extra added onto the end.

I hope you guys love it as much as I did working on it!

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The black-haired man trudged through the woods, cursing Kakarot with every step. If the little idiot had just shut up about the missing sandwich, then that damned blue-haired woman wouldn't have screeched at him about it. It wasn't the first time that he had eaten the sandwiches that were mysteriously left out on the counter, but now that Bulma knew, he was banned from the gravity room for a week. Now, he was stuck walking through the woods to clear his head and find a place to train in the meantime. He stopped when he got to a clearing that looked promising. He began to power up and let his pent-up rage loose. Stupid goody two shoes Kakarot! He just told on him like they were children! Shooting kai blasts at the trees, Vegeta cackled at the birds as they flew up and away from the scene, screeching angrily.

The warrior was about to start again when he heard a sound. It was a small sound, not one that human ears could easily pick up. It sounded like a sob, which had the saiyan curious; it was much too quiet and delicate to be any woman he knew, more like a child's cry. He followed the sound deeper into the woods. The sobbing grew louder as he got farther and farther from his training space. When he finally turned into another small clearing, Vegeta froze.

She couldn't have been more than four, with long black hair and her face buried into her knees. The girl was curled into herself against the trunk of a huge willow tree, sobbing loudly. The crying child was not what left him frozen in his tracks; her tail was curled around herself. She was a saiyan child. Whether or not she was a whole or half didn't matter, she was there and, looking around, Vegeta confirmed that she was alone. The saiyan prince felt kind of bad to just leave a sobbing child in the middle of the woods alone, especially a saiyan child that could possibly continue the race one day. His pity or worry getting the best of him, he peered at her closer.

Other than the obvious tail, he noticed that her long black hair was spikey and laid in a mane-like fashion. She wore a pink sweater that looked like it had been through hell and back, leaves and dirt stuck to the fabric, turning it an ugly salmon color. Her pants were torn and dirty in places, no longer looking like the blue jeans they had originally been. She wore no shoes and her feet were cut and bruised from running in the forest, he supposed. As if sensing being watched, the girl's head poked up, revealing big green eyes bright with tears. Vegeta silently cursed that he had been seen; it was too late for him to leave now.

Sighing, he took a few steps towards her, very carefully to see what she would do. She just stared at him with wide eyes until he was halfway to the tree. It was then that her eyes hardened, and she learned forward, a growl erupting from her throat. He stopped and smirked, mildly impressed, "What is a little girl like you doing out here all by yourself?" Vegeta kept his voice soft, so as not to scare the poor thing.

The fur on her tail rose like hackles on a dog and she bared her teeth, growling once more; a warning. The man tilted his head and frowned, "Where are your parents?" He asked, watching as her scowl fell and she leant back against the tree, looking down. "I see…" He sighed, closing the distance between them and knelt down before her.

"Vegeta!" A loud voice called from above. The girl jumped and, like a scared animal, scampered up the trunk, disappearing into the leaves. Vegeta's eye twitched and he turned, "Dammit, Kakarot!" The confused saiyan landed just a couple feet from the willow, "What? Bulma sent me to find you, she was worried." The princes' eye twitched once more and a growl of his own ripped itself from his chest, "That woman has no right to be worried about me, it's you that she should be worried about! You told on me like a child, Kakarot!" He snarled, looking about ready to pounce onto the man. Kakarot shook his head and returned the glare, "It's not polite to steal someone's food, Vegeta!" The saiyan prince scoffed, "As if you're one to talk, you eat everything!" The warrior's glare increased but his retort froze on his tongue. He locked eyes with the girl, who was almost nose to nose with him. She was hanging from a high tree limb by her tail, "Carrot." She poked the man's nose lightly and then, without confirmation, she turned her gaze to Vegeta, "Veggie." Her voice was soft and musical. She pointed to herself, "Kumi."

The two warriors were quiet during the exchange and stared at the girl in amazement. Her green eyes were no longer sparkling with tears or fear, but curiosity and excitement that could only be found in the eyes of a child. Kakarot was the first to break the silence, "How old are you, Kumi?" he asked, gently removing her finger from pressing against his nose. The girl wore a thoughtful expression as she climbed down the branches. She seemed to have reached a conclusion, because she held up a hand, all her fingers splayed widely. "I'm four!" She proclaimed proudly, still holding those five fingers up as proud as could be. The man regarded her with curious onyx eyes; he opened his mouth to ask a question when the sound of tree limbs being hacked at reached their ears. Kumi's emerald eyes widened and a whimpering noise escaped her mouth as she attempted to rush back up the tree. Vegeta caught her arm and she tried desperately to pull away, "Come on, kid."

But once the slashing sound grew in volume, she allowed herself to get pulled into the air, "What are you so afraid of?" The man mused quietly, settling into the leaves, Kakarot beside him. Two small power levels were nearing them, and the girl shook, pressing her small face into Vegeta's neck. The saiyan ignored it but held her protectively as two forms appeared where they had been seconds ago.

Two men in black suits and hats looked around. The taller one had a strange beeping device in his hands, "It's close, but I don't see anything." He said in a gravelly voice. The shorter one scoffed, "It's hiding! You have to actually have to look for the stupid monkey." Vegeta bristled at the familiar insult, 'They're looking for her.' He glanced down at the shaking child in his arms, 'But, why?' He looked over at Kakarot, who nodded and touched the man's shoulder before putting two fingers to his forehead.

OoOoO

When they had arrived back at Bulma's place, Krillin was there training with Tien and Chiaotzu. Upon seen the child in Vegeta's grasp, they didn't know whether to laugh or be worried for the poor toddler. The saiyan prince growled at them when they came closer and received an angered look from Bulma. She was sitting on the couch as Goku explained their predicament. She agreed to do a quick checkup of the girl but as she went to reach for her, Kumi cowered and gripped Vegeta's shirt tighter with her tiny fingers.

He scowled at the girl but made no effort to remove her from his person, following the woman into the lab. Though, he told Kakarot to see if he could track those men from before. Bulma didn't miss the way his eyes softened when he looked at the girl, however minute it was, and she smiled softly to herself as she busied herself with getting everything ready for Kumi's checkup.

Bulma pointed to the cushioned examination table, "You can set her down there." The man nodded and sat the girl onto the table, but the girl's grasp didn't let up. Vegeta sighed, "Kid, you'll be fine, let go." The girl growled and held on tighter. Gently squeezing her hand away from his shirt, the man sighed again and motioned to the wall with his chin, "I'll be right over there." This seemed to calm the girl and she let go of him, allowing him to stand against the wall a few feet from her.

The girl sat warily watching the blue haired woman as she gathered instruments and readied machines. Kumi's tail swished back and forth in irritation and her muscles were tense as if ready to run at any moment. Bulma turned and smiled, holding up a stethoscope. The toddler growled and the fur on her tail rose. The woman's smile didn't falter, "I'm just going to check your heartbeat, see?" She motioned Vegeta forward, he seemed skeptical at first but obliged. She placed the ear tips in her ears and the diaphragm (the round bit) on his chest. Kumi watched, he didn't look like he was in pain or anything…she decided that since Veggie trusted the blue lady then so did she. The fur on her tail went down and her green eyes lit up. She pointed to her ears and then to Bulma, "Kumi try?" Her voice filled with curiosity.

Bulma smiled and removed the ear pieces and helped the girl put them in. The girl stood on the table to reach Vegeta's chest. She gently placed the diaphragm to his chest and giggled at the sound of his heartbeat, loud and strong in her ears. The man smirked and removed the medical instrument from her grasp, "Your turn." She nodded and sat still for Bulma to listen. The woman wrote something down on a clipboard, "Now, I need to listen to your lungs." The girl cocked her head to the side, confused. Bulma turned Vegeta around and placed the diaphragm on his back, "Breathe in." He grumbled but did as instructed, "Breathe out." Again, he did as he was told. Kumi jumped up, "My turn!" She turned around for the blue woman. Bulma giggled at the girl's eagerness and listened to Kumi's breathing.

Next, she had the toddler stand on the scale and took her height and weight. Then, demonstrated the hearing and vision test on Vegeta; she shinned the light into his eyes and ears. Again, Kumi decided to trust that Veggie was in no pain and allowed Bulma to check her eyes and ears. She wrote on her clipboard and smiled. The tests that followed went just as smoothly, if Kumi seemed hesitant, Vegeta demonstrated first and after deeming it safe, the toddler eagerly obliged.

It wasn't until Bulma had to take a blood sample that Kumi started to look scared. Vegeta understood, he didn't like needles either; hell, Kakarot screamed every time he even looked at one. He rolled up his sleeve and looked at the woman. She hesitated, "Are you sure?" He just nodded and sat on the table next to the girl. Bulma tied the tourniquet around his bicep and found a vein. She inserted the needle and drew the blood. He winced but only enough to show Kumi that it hurt a little, seeing no reason to lie to the girl. Bulma retrieved the needle and placed a square of gauze on his forearm before putting a bandage on it. She untied the tourniquet and put the sample in a vial.

When Bulma left to get another syringe, Kumi touched the bandage on Vegeta's arm, "Hurt?" The man nodded, "Only a little bit." He watched as she traced the bandage softly. She bent her head and kissed it, "All better?" She smiled up at him. He looked shocked, and then he smiled and patted her head, "Yeah, all better."

Bulma stepped back into the room with a fresh needle and looked at Vegeta, "You want to talk to her, so she'll be distracted?" She asked, tying the tourniquet around Kumi's much smaller bicep. The prince nodded, "Kid?" The girl looked up, "Do you want to hear a story?" She nodded excitedly, causing him to smirk, "Once there was a boy, a prince who lived in a castle with his father. The boy was spoiled and wanted everything for himself. His mother passed away before she could teach him how to care for others besides himself and his father only taught him to rule with fear and without mercy-"

"Was there a princess?"

Her question had caught Vegeta off guard and for a moment, he forgot who he was talking to. He looked at Kumi who was looking up at him expectantly, her green eyes full of wonder and delight at the story. He nodded and looked up, "Of course there was. She was a beautiful princess with long and flowing blue hair. She taught the spoiled prince how to be kind to others and that to be a good ruler did not necessarily mean that you had to be feared."

"Oh! Did they get married?" Kumi asked excitedly. The man grunted, "No, they didn't but-"

"Alright, all done." A flustered Bulma almost shouted, breaking the calm that had descended upon the room during Vegeta's story. She turned, "I'll let you know the results of her blood tests as soon as they're done." And with that, she left the two saiyans sitting on the examination table, staring after her in confusion.

OoOoO

It didn't escape Vegeta's notice that Kumi was only shy around the humans. Even though none of the z fighters were threatening towards her, Kumi was very weary of them. He knew that she noticed the different smell that each person had and seemed to like the smell of saiyans best. She sat in a tree for most of the afternoon, watching them train. It wasn't until Gohan and Piccolo arrived that she began to interact with anyone, though she stayed as close to Gohan as possible. She watched him train for a while and then immediately demanded to try too. Vegeta smirked at her determination; she was a saiyan after all.

The prince sat on the back porch watching them play in the dying sunlight. Kumi chased after Gohan, her long black hair no longer tangled and matted; instead it was shiny and silky. Bulma's mother had jumped at the opportunity to bathe the young saiyan and though she didn't like the idea at first, Vegeta told her that he couldn't do it and she would just have to deal. Surprisingly, she didn't argue and allowed herself to be washed and dressed in clean, untorn clothing. Now she wore a green t-shirt and a pair of jeans that were Bulma's once upon a time, Mrs. Brief had told him, and they would fit the girl until she got her clothes of her own.

Vegeta watched the two chase after each other a while longer, deep in thought. What was going to happen to this girl? They didn't know who was after her nor did they know where she came from. Once they knew these things and/or defeated those who were looking for her, where would she go? She seemed to be more attached to him than anyone else, save maybe Kakarot's boy, but he didn't think he could raise a child…he had to train to defeat the androids that the boy from the future had warned them about. But he'd be dammed if a member of his race were sent off anywhere where he couldn't keep an eye on them, especially one as young as she. These thoughts attacked him all at once and he had to close his eyes to process it all.

The saiyan was still deep in thought, when a sweet scent caught his nose. A second later, Bulma tapped him on the shoulder, "I got the results analyzed." She held up a pale green folder. He looked up at her sharply, "And?" he prompted, "Goku's in the kitchen, I figured that I'd tell both of you at the same time." Vegeta nodded and followed her inside.

He nodded to the man sitting at the table when the two arrived and sat next to him. Bulma took a shaky breath and sat down on the other side, placing the folder in front of her. She cleared her throat and opened the folder, "Kumi is pretty healthy for a four-year-old; perfect hearing and vision, blood pressure was normal, and her lungs seem fine, but she's a bit underweight." Goku chuckled, "Well, if she's a saiyan then that'll change quick." The blue haired scientist gave a weak smile, "That's what I found interesting, her heartbeat is too slow to be a pureblooded saiyan's heartbeat, though it's normal for a human child." Vegeta frowned, "So she's a demi saiyan, like Kakarot's brat. That explains her eye color then."

Bulma shrugged, "Most likely. I looked at her cells and they looked similar to Gohan's." She frowned, "But, where did she come from?" It was a question that had bothered the two saiyans since Kumi had arrived. Vegeta narrowed his eyes, "Kakarot, were you able to track those men?" Goku glared at the tabletop, "I did, but their power levels were gone before I could instant transmission there." The saiyan prince pinched the bridge of his nose, "Damn, they may be the only lead we have of where she came from." The other saiyan suddenly grinned, "Why don't we just ask her? She has to know something." Vegeta nodded and was about to speak but was interrupted.

The glass door slid open.

Gohan walked in quietly, a sleeping Kumi in his arms, "She fell asleep on our break." He smiled. Bulma returned his smile, "You can put her in one of the guest bedrooms, Gohan." The boy nodded and took the girl up the stairs.

OoOoO

Kumi awoke in a strange room, the late afternoon sunlight pouring in through the French doors that led out onto the balcony. She rubbed at her eyes and yawned widely. She sat up and pulled back the purple polka dotted bed sheets, letting her gaze run around her surroundings. The room was bare except for a chest of drawers against the far wall, a small vase of daisies atop it, and a small nightstand next to the large bed she laid in. It was bigger than the room she had with her momma. At this thought, her chest began to ache, and her eyes began to water. However, she willed herself not to cry in favor of her growling stomach and decided to venture for food.

She stepped out of the warm covers, hissing when her bare feet touched the cool hard wood floor. Carefully, Kumi tiptoed to the door and opened it, looking to and fro down the hallway. Once she deemed it safe, the girl crept down the hall and to the stairs. Peeking through the slits in the railing, she saw the blue haired woman from before sitting on the couch with Veggie and Carrot, speaking in hushed tones. Veggie's brows were furrowed, and he looked troubled; Carrot look just as worried. The blue haired woman was holding a pale green folder in her hand and her blue eyes were alight with excitement and just a little bit of fear.

Kumi walked the rest of the way down the stairs, not bothering to be quiet about it. The group on the couch quickly changed the subject, faking happy looks and laughter. At least the blue haired woman and Carrot did, Veggie still looked troubled and gave her a look that said he knew she had been listening. The young saiyan toddled her way to the prince, her tail dragging against the carpet. Said prince addressed her as she walked up, "What's wrong, kid? Why are you up?" Her stomach growled loudly in response, causing both saiyans and the woman to laugh. Carrot smiled, "Come on, Kumi. I think there's still a little food left for you." At his words, Kumi cheered and jumped into his arms, "Yay! Thanks, Carrot!"

The small group began to move into the kitchen to rummage for food. Vegeta hung back and watched the two as they laughed and made up a few plates. Bulma excused herself to go and do some more tests on her cells and the prince watched her go. He sighed but shook his head; he needed to focus on the girl! Yes, Kakarot was right! She had to have some thought about where she had come from or who was after her.

He looked back to where the two were sitting at the table, stuffing their faces. She seemed comfortable and content, just as he had deduced before; she was more relaxed around those of her own race. She had had a very long day and she seemed happy, Vegeta didn't want to be the one to ruin that feeling for her; he'd just have to wait for another time to ask.

OoOoO

The night was calm and the air cool. The stars were twinkling bright as if it were any other night. Snuggled under the purple polka dotted bed sheets, slept a toddler. Her spikey coal hair splayed out onto the pillow and she snored quietly. Her tail curled and uncurled around the stuffed bear that had been tucked in with her. Her breathing was soft and even. All was well.

Then, her calm face became screwed up and a small whimper escaped her. She tossed and turned, her tail flung the bear into the far wall, knocking over the flower vase in the process. She cried out louder and sat up in bed, tears rolling down her cheeks. At that same moment, her door opened and a rather disheveled Vegeta walked in. Without knowing who it was, Kumi dove under the covers, shaking.

The man sighed, made his way across the room to her bed, and sat on the edge, ignoring her quiet growls, "Kid." At his voice, she threw off the covers and flung herself at his chest, sobbing, "Don't make me go back!" she cried, "Momma promised that I wouldn't have to go back!" He wrapped his arms around her, smoothing out her hair, "Go back where, kid? Where is your mother?" He asked softly. She hiccuped into his chest and pulled away to look up at him with reddened emerald eyes, "The scary place, with the mean doctors and the needles and the bad people!" She began to sob once again.

He shushed her and drew her into his chest, drawing circles on the back of her lavender nightgown. Scary place? Mean doctors, needles, bad people. Everything she had said only confirmed Vegeta's fears and had him tightening his hold on the child.

Once Kumi's sobs had turned to hiccups and light snores, the saiyan prince gently pried the girl's arms from around his neck and laid her underneath the comforter. After retrieving the stuffed bear from the floor, Vegeta tucked it in next to her and smoothed her hair from her face, his thumb wiping the tear tracks from her cheeks.

The warrior looked down at her with tired eyes; the poor girl had been through hell as it seemed and at such a young age too. He sighed, he had gone through hell at her age also, thinking back to the story he had told Kumi just hours before. However, being on Earth and seeing how the children here were raised (mostly Kakarot's kid, not like Vegeta even liked humans), not with brutality or malice, but with kindness to preserve their innocence rather than rid them of it, changed the way the prince viewed the girl. He wanted to protect her, and he wasn't sure if that fact scared him or not.

The prince stood from the bed and silently walked out of her room, shutting the door softly behind him. He wasn't surprised to see Bulma wrapped in a pink robe just outside the room, her blue hair in ruffled from sleep, "What happened?" she yawned, rubbing her eye tiredly. Vegeta just shook his head, "Nightmare. We'll talk about it in the morning." He walked passed her and retired to his room a little ways down the hall, leaving the blue-haired woman to stare after him in sleepy confusion.

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I hope you all enjoyed! Kumi has been so much fun to write and develop!  
I'll post the rest soon, probably sometime next week!

Until next time lovelies,

~Shikamaru'sLove


	2. Chapter 2

Love the response for this guys! Hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

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Vegeta didn't dream that night.

The sun was just peeking over the horizon when he awoke. Yawning, the prince stretched and rose from bed to ready himself for morning training. Once he was clean and dressed, he made his way across the hall and down the stairs.

This time, he was surprised to see someone else besides himself awake; the girl was perched on the railing of the back porch, gazing out at the morning sky. She was in her purple nightgown from the night before with her hair still mused from sleep. Kumi looked up when he approached, "G'morning Veggie." She greeted him quietly, smiling politely. He grunted and sat next to her on the stairs, watching the rising sun.

The two sat in silence staring out at the morning sun as it rose above the horizon. Vegeta looked at the girl out of the corner of his eye; she didn't seem as terrified as she was the night before, however, the wariness in her eyes was still present. Her stomach growled and she giggled, "My tummy made the rummblies!" She looked at him with a big grin, "Momma says it's the tummy monster yelling for food." Her grin faded at the mention of her mother and the prince ruffled her hair, "Well let's get you fed then, kid." He stood and led her into the kitchen.

He dug around in the cabinets for something simple to feed her as his cooking skills were limited and it was much too early for anyone else to be awake. Kumi yawned from her place next to him and climbed up on the counter to assist him, "What are you doing?" Vegeta asked, giving her a soft glare. The girl just smiled and reached up to take a box of cereal off the shelf, "Helping," with that, she leapt off of the counter with the cereal and went to the table. The prince frowned and retrieved two bowls and spoons from the cabinet before joining her at the table.

Putting the box of cereal down on the table, Kumi walked towards the fridge and opened it with her tail. Vegeta vaguely entertained the idea of how easy this was for the two of them as he prepared the two bowls with the appropriate amount of cereal as she returned with the milk. He watched as she struggled to lift the jug of milk onto the table and was quick to take the jug from her. She frowned but let him pour the milk into their bowls and sat across from him.

Once the milk was poured and the table was set, the two dug into their breakfast hungrily, not caring about how much cereal was spilled out onto the tabletop. Vegeta looked up at her as she lifted the bowl to her lips to slurp up her milk, chuckling when she spilled some onto her nightgown. She grinned up at him in return and continued on with her breakfast. When they'd had their fill, they each took their dishes to the sink and then headed outside; Vegeta with the intention of going to train and Kumi because Veggie was heading outside.

The prince noticed this and turned to her, causing the young one to bump her nose into his leg, "If you want to be out here, you should change out of your night clothes." He said, nodding to her purple nightgown. Kumi's grin grew and she dashed off back into the house, her tail flying out behind her.

Vegeta chuckled and began to do some warm ups on the lawn, seeing as he was still banned from the gravity room; the thought only ruining his mood. He continued his warm up with some mock punches and kicks in the air while he waited, not acknowledging the small demi saiyan a few yards behind him.

Kumi ran out of the house wearing some clothes that she found in her dresser: a black tank top, some cargo shorts and a pair of sneakers; she'd tried to find something close to what Veggie was wearing and this was the closest she could get. Once she'd gotten outside, he had already started whatever he was doing.

He was lifting his arms over his head and leaning over to the side; Kumi did the same, feeling a strange pull in her side. But it didn't bother her, so she kept following him. He switched to the other side and so did she. This continued on until Vegeta was finished with his stretches and began his combat warm ups.

Of course, he had noticed that she had arrived and had been copying him; he was just as curious about how she would do as she was about what he was doing. Vegeta figured she would do one of two things: She would either grow board or tired and leave him to his training.

Or she would continue with training and demand to try more as she had yesterday. He hoped it was the latter.

He was purposely going slow as though he was teaching her. His mock punches and kicks were slower and more precise than he would normally do, so she could see clearly and copy.

It wasn't until he heard her 'oof' as she fell over from kicking too high that he turned around and acknowledged her.

She was getting onto her feet when he caught her gaze with a stern look. Immediately, he saw her shock and panic at being caught, like she thought he would be angry with her for being there. She looked away first, looking down at her sneakers in shame.

That wouldn't do.

"Kid,"

Her head shot up and he smirked.

"Keep your center up when you kick. You only fell over because you were leaning too far to the other side." He corrected, showing her with a kick of his own. And like magic, the shame melted away and was replaced by determination. Her eyes lit up and she grinned, copying his movements with ease.

The two continued this way for another hour or two, Vegeta demonstrating and Kumi eagerly listening to his critique and following his instruction. He had to admit, she was doing better than he had given her credit for. Kumi was panting by the time the others began to rise and greet the world.

Bulma didn't know what to make of the situation, although she couldn't say she was surprised in any sense; Kumi had practically been stuck to Vegeta's hip since she had arrived. The thought made her smile into her cup of coffee as she leaned against the porch railing, watching the two in the yard. 'He's so good with her. Good with kids.' She thought, mentally adding it to the growing list of pros for Vegeta.

Sensing the rest of the house waking and Kumi's waning energy, the prince declared that they should break for water and food, "To keep your strength up," he told her when she went to argue. The two walked back into the kitchen, Vegeta grabbing two water bottles from the fridge on his way to the table. He handed one to Kumi, who in turn handed him an apple she had snagged from the fruit bowl on the counter, biting into one of her own as she did. The two nodded to each other before heading back out onto the porch for their break.

Again, Bulma didn't know what to make of the scene before her: these two aliens who just met yesterday, one prince that didn't fully trust anyone on this planet and a little girl that no one knew a whole lot about. Yet here they were, already communicating in silent looks and nods. The blue haired scientist stayed on the porch and watched the two; she told herself it because she was worried about the little girl, but her eyes lingered on the way Vegeta's muscles moved under the tight uniform.

Goku and Gohan showed up another hour or so later to use the gravity room. Bulma informed them that they missed the show as Kumi had taken a break for lunch and was resting on the porch beside the her, watching Vegeta train. Goku raised a brow before motioning her inside.

Once the two were in the kitchen, he turned to her, "Do we know anything about Kumi yet? Her parents? Who those guys were that are after her?" he asked, sounding worried. Bulma shook her head, "I haven't gotten the chance to talk to her yet, she was training with Vegeta when I got up this morning. She doesn't seem very comfortable with anyone other than him." She looked outside where the child in question sat on the porch, conversing with Gohan.

Gohan watched his father and Bulma go into the house before approaching the younger saiyan, "Hello Kumi." She looked up and jumped on him with a grin, "Gohan!" she squealed in delight, making him giggle. He put her down and they resumed watching Vegeta run through his training.

The young demi saiyan nudged her shoulder, "Have you been practicing with him?" Kumi nodded enthusiastically, "Yea, we did kicks and stuff like this." She got up and started to demonstrate a jump kick, almost falling off the porch in the process. Gohan laughed and caught her arm, setting her upright, "Wow, you're a natural." She grinned again, sitting back down, "Yea, my momma taught me some stuff." Her grin slipped a bit and the boy noticed, "Kumi, where is your mother?"

Kumi looked away for a moment, "She's in the scary place, with the mean doctors with needles and the bad people." A deep voice answered. The two looked up to see Vegeta had wondered over during their conversation. The girl was quiet, staring at the wooden porch, until the prince headed inside nudging her along with him. Gohan followed behind them, both curiosity and worry coloring his features.

OoOoO

Kumi sat at the table, eyes downcast and a heavy weight in her stomach. Veggie and Carrot sat on either side of her, offering support as Bulma asked her gently prodding questions about herself: where the scary place was, where she ran from, why she was running, who was chasing her.

She didn't answer much beyond a shrug and it was starting to eat away at Vegeta's nerves. He bumped her shoulder none too gently when she shrugged again, "Kid, I know you don't want to talk about it, but we need to know these things to keep you safe." Goku nodded, "And get you back to your mother." Kumi looked up at the two of them with watery eyes, "I'm scared."

Bulma reached across the table and grabbed the little girl's hand, squeezing it gently, "I know, sweetheart, but we can only help you if you tell us ok?" Kumi shook her head, "No, Mr. Red is gonna get me…he always does." Vegeta leaned forward, "Who is Mr. Red?"

"He's the bad man that brings the needles after lunch time." She said with a grimace, "He left the door open yesterday and Momma took me outside to play a game." Goku's brows knit together, "What game?" Kumi sniffled, "She said it was hide and seek; we were gonna hide from the bad man and doctors." Vegeta met Bulma's eyes across the table; this wasn't good, "What happened next, kid?"

Kumi looked away, "There was a loud ringing noise and Momma told me to run into the woods, but I got lost and I don't know where she is." Her eyes welled up with tears, "I miss my Momma!" she cried, throwing herself into Vegeta's neck. And like that, he had her in his arms, rubbing at her back; much like he had the night before.

He didn't like this, not one bit. He met Kakarot's eye and nodded at the same look of determination in his eye. The look that said they were gonna find these men and get this girl back to her mother.

OoOoO

Kumi was quiet for the rest of the day, watching everyone train from the porch. Veggie and Carrot were inside with the blue lady talking and it wasn't until Gohan began training with the green man from yesterday that she moved from her spot on the deck.

Gohan didn't like that Kumi was so quiet and sad looking; he wanted his new friend to laugh and smile like she had the day before and that morning when she had seen him. She smiled when he pulled her from the porch and onto the grass to train, but he could tell it wasn't a real smile.

He threw a punch at her and wasn't surprised that she dodged it and landed a kick to his side. It wasn't a hard kick, but he could tell that she put her whole body into it. He pushed it away, noticing her grin as he jumped back, giving them space. She sank into the fighting stance they taught her the day before, smiling excitedly.

The two spared around the yard, falling in the dirt every now and then, laughing like the children they were. Goku watched from the porch, taking a moment from arguing with Vegeta inside; it had been a while since he saw his son act like his age. Gohan was only seven and had been in more battles than most people had ever been in in their entire lives, it was refreshing to see him play with Kumi.

He leaned against the house, his arms crossed, deep in thought. Vegeta had wanted to go back to where they found Kumi and track her steps back to where she had come from; not a bad plan but, they had no idea what would be waiting for them. He had to admit, the prince had made a good point when Goku had shot down his idea: there was very little evidence that Kumi's mother would even still be alive.

Whoever this Mr. Red was, they didn't think that he would let a breech in security go without some sort of consequence.

The two saiyan were arguing while Bulma ran their DNA against Kumi's to try and figure out if they were related in anyway. She claimed it was just covering the bases, just in case; if only to give her something to do to get away from their constant arguing. She knew they were worried about Kumi and that, somehow in the last 24 hours, the two had grown fond of the little girl, but Bulma was worried about her too; they didn't know where this base was or even if her mother was alright.

Her hands stilled over the keyboard; she didn't want to think about that. Kumi was obviously really close to her mother and Bulma didn't know what _she_ would do without her mother; no child deserved to lose their parent. Kumi would be devastated and where would she go? Would she stay here, with Bulma? She had enough room but with the rising threat of the androids and whoever was after the kid in the first place, that would only endanger the girl.

There was no way she could just kick her out, she was just a kid and Bulma doubted Vegeta would agree with that decision.

After running the tests as much as she could, the blue haired scientist left her lab and made her way to the back of the house.

OoOoO

Dinner was quiet that night and, after the two Sons retired home for the evening, Kumi went upstairs to her room. Vegeta knew she was crying but he didn't make a move to go comfort her; he didn't see a point. She needed to work through the thick of it on her own and then, if she asked, he would help her.

Kumi sat on the balcony with her forehead against the cool metal of the railing. Her eyes were closed, and she sighed shakily. She had been crying since Gohan had left; she was so confused. She liked it here, Veggie and Carrot were nice and so was the blue lady and Gohan too, but she missed her momma. Actually, talking about what happened helped her remember what she needed to do; she had to find her momma.

With that thought in mind, the young girl stood and gave a shaky sigh. She looked up to the moon, taking comfort in its full glow then she looked towards the woods that lay beyond the property line. A feeling of determination swelled in her chest and she held her head up high; she would find her momma all on her own.

Turning on her heel, she ran back into her room and began to rummage through her closet until she found what she was looking for: a backpack. It was a sparkly gray color, 'perfect for sneaking', she thought.

She took the bag and began stuffing clothes into it, not paying much attention to what they looked like. After she was satisfied with the bulging pack, she zipped it up and slid on a hoodie and her shoes. She looked around the room, checking to make sure she wasn't missing anything, before throwing a strap over her shoulder and heading out on the balcony.

* * *

Nobody panic! I have a plan for little Kumi, trust me.

Until next time lovelies,

~Shikamaru'sLove


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello all! Here's the new chapter! It's the beginning of finals week for me so here's a chapter to tide you over for the next week or so. Lemme know what you think!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Vegeta watched from his window as she vaulted over the back gate with ease, a scowl on his face. He had his arms crossed so tight across his chest, he could feel his ribs strain; he couldn't help but be anxious. After her ki had faded to just a vapor in his mind's eye, he nodded to Kakarot, who gripped his shoulder and placed two fingers to his forehead.

They watched from the trees as Kumi hurried through the woods, retracing her steps from the clearing, they followed her into a compound a few miles east. The prince was almost impressed at how easily she could find her way back, but his nerves outweighed his pride. She slid in through a small hole in the tall fence that surrounded the compound and easily navigated through the searchlights and guards patrolling in the grassy yard to a side door.

The two saiyans watched this with confusion; this child just snuck back into a base with the skill and ease of a warrior. Kakarot voiced this quietly to Vegeta, who only shrugged in return; how was he to know how she did it…unless…

"He knows she's here. It's a trap."

OoOoO

Kumi scurried across the metal hall, narrowly missing the patrolling guards as she turned the corner to a familiar hall and came to a familiar door. She pressed her hand against it and it eased open, surprising her. The room was dark when she walked in, it was quiet, but she recognized the old pink blanket on the small cot that sat against the far wall. She stepped towards it, "Momma?" she whispered, her small voice echoing in the dark room. She pulled the blanket from the old mattress and held it to her chest for comfort. Just as she turned to leave, she saw a figure in the doorway.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut and the room was filled with bright lights, and she cried out as it blinded her. Kumi tried to open her eyes to look around, but her vision was blinded with white lights; she could only see the shadow of a figure before her. It must be…

"Ahh! My eyes! Help me, Momma!" The girl cried reaching for her mother. A deep, masculine chuckle filled the room and sent chills down Kumi's spine; Mr. Red sounded just like that.  
"Oh, I'm not your mother, Number 2156," A hand grabbed her by the backpack and began to drag her out the door. She struggled and escaped the straps of her bag, but another hand grabbed her by her long hair and pulled hard, "Behave yourself now, 2156. I may just let you see your mother, if you're a good girl."

Kumi screamed but allowed herself to be pulled out the door, tears streaming down her face, "Momma,"

OoOoO

Vegeta lunged for the gate that he saw the girl go through but the saiyan next to him grabbed his arm, holding him back, "Wait, Vegeta, we need a plan; we don't even know what could be in there."

The prince growled, "I don't care, I'll tear that Mr. Red limb from limb!" Goku nodded but didn't release him, "Look, I want to get Kumi back as much as you do! But you know we have to be smart about this."

At that, Vegeta shrugged off the other mans hand; he knew Kakarot was right, even though he'd never admit it. He glared at the compound before them, "Then what do you think we should do? Can you sense her ki and instant transmission to it?"

Goku looked thoughtful for a moment, "Yes, hang on." He shut his eyes and concentrated, "Got it!" Putting his hand on the other man's shoulder, he pressed his fingers to his forehead and they were inside the compound.

They appeared in a dark room with a small cot in the corner and a pale pink blanket on the floor. Next to it sat a small bookshelf with stacks of books, one read fairy tales across the cover. A metal desk sat in the other corner with papers and folders strewn across it haphazardly. On the walls were crayon drawings of stick figures with odd blobs of color and dolls lay abandoned on the rug. Kumi's ki was all over everything.

This must've been her room.

Goku walked over to the desk and began to sort through the messy papers. Vegeta's eyes remained glued to the drawings on the wall, particularly the one with three stick figures, two tall ones and a shorter one. The shorter one was obviously Kumi, with her black hair and green eyes and was labeled "me" with a little arrow. The two taller ones were on either side of her, one with blonde hair and green eyes and a bow in its hair; this one labeled momma. The other was drawn in red crayon and had black hair and black crayon where it's eyes were supposed to be, "Well that must be Mr. Red." He murmured, his fingers tracing over the drawing.

"Vegeta, you might want to look at this," The other saiyan called, looking through the documents. Vegeta walked over, snatching the paper out of Goku's outstretched hand, his eyes scanning the page.

Words like 'experiment' and 'DNA injection' caught his attention and, in disgust, he handed the pages back to Goku, "Hang on to these, the woman will probably want to look them over." Goku nodded and folded them up, sticking them in his pocket.

"If that document is anything to go by, we have to find the kid as soon as possible." Vegeta said, making his way to the door, feeling for her power level as he did. Goku nodded and followed him into the hallway.

A shrill shriek rang through the corridor, stopping them dead in their tracks, "Kumi!" Goku shouted, running towards the sound, Vegeta right behind him. The prince gritted his teeth as he ran, plotting the demise of whoever dared hurt a hair on that girls' head.

OoOoO

Kumi was dragged into a cold white room and hauled onto a cold metal table. She struggled and kicked blindly in the bright white lights as she was roughly strapped to the table. A cry escaped her lips as the leather bit into the skin on her wrists, "Help! Momma!" Kumi screamed as fresh tears fell from the corners of her eyes.

The shadow above her tsked, "Now, now, 2156. Is that how a good girl acts for Mr. Red? Don't you want to see your mother?", the chilling voice tried to sound soothing but failed. The girl whimpered quietly, her eyes shut tight as he put the cold electrodes on her body. She missed Veggie, he wouldn't let Mr. Red do this to her. He would make everything okay.

The doctor finished typing in some commands on the machine and tied a tourniquet on her left forearm. Kumi squirmed uncomfortably at the tightness but kept her mouth shut; she wanted to see her momma. She used to tell Kumi to be brave when she got shots from Mr. Red. She would smooth her hair away from her sweaty forehead and tell her soothing things. No matter how much pain Kumi was in, her momma always made her feel better.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp prick on her arm as the doctor injected the shot and white-hot pain bloomed from the spot. Kumi shrieked and thrashed against her bonds as the burning heat enveloped her body. Her screams turned inhuman as a deep growl tore itself from her chest and her vision went red. She felt her bones shift and expand and her teeth grow too big for her mouth. Her hand clenched and her nails extended into claws. A deep monstrous roar escaped her, and a shiver ran through her changing spine as she ripped herself from the straps holding her down. Her form burst through the clothes she was wearing, and thick black hair covered her body.

The creature leapt from the table and turned its' red gaze to the doctor, stalking towards him carefully, almost curiously, "Easy, 2156. Easy, girl." His voice shook with fear.

Vegeta and Goku crashed through the silver doors at that moment, scuffed from fighting though guards and scientists. The good doctor pressed himself against the wall as the two fighters entered the room, his eyes going between them and the small creature in front of him. The creature had stopped its' advance on him and turned its' attention to the newcomers; they smelled familiar.

The prince stepped forward, glaring at the man against the wall, "Doctor Redford, I presume?" he growled. Redford flinched at the dark tone and Goku looked around the room, taking in the overturned table and shredded bits of clothing before letting his gaze settle on the ape like creature. It was small, but it looked just like he and Vegeta had when they went into their ape form. He felt a growl rumble in his chest.

"Where is Kumi?" He snapped, making the doctor whimper and point a shaking finger at the creature. Vegeta's eyes went wide and he felt a red-hot rage boil up inside, "What have you done to her?!" he shouted as he flew towards Redford, grabbed him by the collar and punched him in the face, relishing the way the bones caved under his fist. The doctor screamed as blood bubbled from his broken nose and the prince threw him aside in disgust.

The creature roared at the sudden burst of movement and barreled towards Vegeta, slashing at him with her claws, catching him off guard. Goku lunged towards her, "Kumi, wait! It's us!" The creature turned and batted the saiyan away and into the hall like he was a toy ball. Vegeta groaned, feeling where her nails had raked at his middle and looked to where she was stalking towards Kakarot, "Kid! Over here!" Her head snapped in his direction and for a moment, he thought he saw a glimpse of green in her eyes.

She stopped when she saw the red staining his uniform, "Veggie…" the deep, gravelly voice sounded wrong coming from her. But as Vegeta struggled to stand, she took a step closer, "Veggie…hurt…I hurt Veggie." The inhuman voice sounded a little clearer and higher pitched. It sounded sad and it made the prince's chest squeeze. "Don't sweat it, kid. I'm okay." He gave her a small smile and stood, using the wall as a crutch. Kakarot had recovered from being thrown into the other room and slowly made his way over to Vegeta.

Her eyes snapped to the new movement and Goku was quick to hold his hands up non-threatening, "It's alright Kumi, it's just me." He kept his voice soft and calm. She took in his battered form and her eyes flickered green again, "Carrot…I hurt Carrot too." The deep voice sounded sorrowful but there was an angry edge to it. Vegeta caught Kakarot's eye; they couldn't afford to lose this much of her. She had to know they were okay, so they could calm her down. Goku nodded and gave Kumi a wide smiled, standing to his full height, as relaxed as he could be, "Aw, come on, Kumi! You couldn't hurt me! I'm the strongest there is! Haha!" He said and scratched the back of his head.

A small but deep laugh escaped the creature and it turned into a full-blown giggle fit as she flopped on the ground laughing. As she rolled around the floor, her form began to shrink, and her skin began to appear through the disappearing hair. Then there was just a giggling toddler rolling on the floor; a naked giggling toddler. The saiyans breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of her and made their way towards her.

She chortled as they approached, "Carrot, you can't be the strongest there is!"

Goku pouted at the jab, "What?!"

Vegeta smirked as he took off his shirt and slid it over her head to give her some decency. It was way too big, and the collar hung off her shoulder, but it was better than the remaining shreds of clothes that lay scattered on the floor.

Once she was covered, she threw herself at Vegeta hugging him tightly, "I'm sorry, Veggie! I'm sorry I ran away!" she muttered into his neck. He rubbed her back, holding her just as tight, "It's okay, kid. You're safe, that's all that matters." Goku ruffled her hair and she giggled, looking up at him. She leapt up and into his arms, muttering the same apology to Kakarot, Vegeta assumed.

He scanned the room for the crumpled form of Dr. Redford, finding him in the corner of the room crawling to the safety of the back door.

Vegeta crushed the man's fingers beneath his boot, grinding them into the floor, "Where is the girls' mother?" He shouted over the doctor's pained scream.

Redford's eyes snapped up at the question and gave the prince a hysterical, bloody smile, "2156 doesn't have a mother, she was a miracle." A growl escaped Vegeta and he grabbed the doctor by his throat, pushing him against the wall, "Where is she?"

The previous fear in the doctor's eyes disappeared and an odd confidence replaced it. Developing a professional tone, Redford said, "Experiment 2156 was artificially designed in my lab 5 years ago, the only parents she knows are myself and the other scientists."

Taking in this information, Vegeta turned to look at Kakarot who was keeping Kumi occupied; he'd kept the pink blanket from her room and she was cuddled with it, asleep in his arms. They nodded to each other and Kakarot walked into the hall with the napping toddler, "Give us one reason why we shouldn't destroy you and this entire lab."

Dr. Redford visibly swallowed, "You seem to care for her, would you destroy the only cure for the serum I injected her with?"

Vegeta grip on his throat tightened and he slammed him against the wall again, denting the metal, "Choose your next words carefully."

The doctor coughed and said, "Through that door are the experiments that came before 2156." He weakly pointed at the door he had been crawling to. Vegeta's hold on the doctor didn't falter as he drug him to the door. The scratches Kumi left on his chest pulsed with every movement but he pushed through it as he kicked open the door.

The room was dark but the sound of rattling cages and inhuman roars and growls met his ears. Vegeta stopped cold, a hot rage burning through him as the doctor uttered the words, "These are my children."

A red button glowed next to the door that read 'Cage release' caught his eye. In the dim lighting, he could make out the various cages that held small ape-like creatures like the one Kumi had been. But they were deformed in different ways, some were slumped in their cages, some whimpered as others roared and growled.

'She could've been them,' was the only thought in his mind as he tossed the doctor into the middle of the room and slammed his hand on the release button. The cages slid open and for a moment everything was quiet.

Then, the experiments descended on the screaming Redford as Vegeta slammed the door shut. He shivered at the thought of Kumi being in one of those cages, being a mindless creature. Kakarot walked around the corner as the prince turned away from the door and raised a brow at the distressed look on his face, "You okay, Vegeta? Where's the doctor?"

Vegeta nodded absently, "Don't ask. Let's just get out of here, we should get the kid back." Kakarot shifted Kumi into his arms so he could instant transmission them outside. The toddler nuzzled her face into Vegeta's neck and grumbled in her sleep; a ghost of a smile graced his face as they teleported outside of Bulma's house.

* * *

 **Hopefully you all enjoyed! I wanted to make Kumi a truly original character instead of being like a long lost sayian kid, thought it was an interesting idea to explore.**

 **The next chapter will probably be the last one, but you guys will have to wait a week or two, I got finals and projects and stuff this week and then I still need to finish writing it and editing and yada yada.**

 **It's all very exciting.**

 **Until Next Time Lovelies,**

 **~Shikamaru'sLove**


	4. Chapter 4

**Alright everyone! Final Chapter of this, for now. I might do little one shots like after Trunks is born maybe, I dunno. But for now this is it!**

 **A big thank you to everyone who's been with me on this long journey, its years in the making and this will be the first fic that I've ever actually finished! Big accomplishment for me!**

 **Anyway! I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

Early morning light strewed through the curtains and along the covered toddler, who was beginning to stir beneath the polka dotted sheets. Kumi's eyes blinked open, staring up at the ceiling for a moment, trying to clear her groggy mind. She sat up with a yawn, thinking about that weird dream she had. Her pink blanket fell from her chest and her blue night shirt slipped off a shoulder; it wasn't a dream.

Meanwhile, Vegeta landed in the backyard, folders stuffed with papers in hand. He made his way to Bulma's lab, where she was pouring over all the research that he and Kakarot had brought back.

He tossed the folders onto her desk, "This should be the last of it." Before he could leave the room, she grabbed his arm and he let her hold onto him, "Did you destroy it?" He looked back at her, but she wasn't look at him, her eyes were still glued to the pages.

"I did." Her tight grip relaxed at his answer and she let him go, "Did you find anything about the serum she was injected with?" He asked softly, ignoring how cold his arm had gotten.

Bulma nodded and shifted through the stacks of papers until she found what she was looking for. She then rolled her chair over to her computer, "Yea, it looks like-"

"Hey Bulma, did you find anything in all those papers?" Kakarot shouted as he entered the lab, making Vegeta cringe. The scientist laughed despite herself, "As I was just about to say, I found a lot. It looks like the good doctor wasn't lying about Kumi being a miracle. She was created in the lab with human dna and saiyan dna."

Goku scratched his head, "How's that possible?" Bulma sighed, "Doctor Redford and his team found Raditz's body after your battle, and they decided to experiment with the dna from his blood. From what I can get from their reports, Kumi was the 2156th experiment and the first to survive all of their 'treatments'."

Vegeta's blood boiled, "That's why he called her a miracle. Disgusting." The scientist nodded, "According to his records, he injected her with adrenaline when you found her, enough to make her transform. She'll be fine."

It felt like a weight had been taken off their shoulders and they breathed a sigh of relief. But it was short-lived.

Bulma cleared her throat, "But there was a scientist with the Codename 'Mother', she oversaw the development of Kumi's social skills. There is a report by Dr. Redford about her escape…" she trailed off, the paper in her hands shook slightly and Vegeta gently took it from her.

"'Subject is no longer responding to experimentation methods; results include stronger endurance and strength after near death. However, number 2156 has become too dependent on Dr. Quinn, 'Mother'. In order for experimentation to continue, a new caregiver must be appointed- else subject be terminated.'" The prince read, his heart feeling heavy.

Bulma cleared her throat, her eyes glassy, "There's more." He nodded and continued,

"'In light of the escape of number 2156 and upon reviewing the security footage, we have found Dr. Quinn solely responsible for the subject's escape. Therefore, she will be terminated promptly…'" He trailed off and looked up to meet Kakarot's eye. He looked as angry and defeated as Vegeta did.

"Is there any chance-" Goku began but Bulma stopped him, "This is dated two days ago, after you found Kumi." Vegeta nodded, "And I found no trace of any other scientist when I went back for these," he gestured to the papers in his hand.

It was silent for a moment, all of them mulling over the new information. Then Bulma took a deep breath, "What are we going to tell her?" The main question on all their minds. It was always highly unlikely that the girls' mother was alive, but now that it was more than just a thought in his head, worried him. He didn't have much time to dwell on the thought or hash out a plan, however.

"Veggie, I'm hungry." A small voice called from the doorway, making them turn. Kumi stood in Vegeta's shirt, the collar hanging off her shoulder. She rubbed at her eye and walked towards the group, her tail dragging on the tiled floor behind her. Vegeta, who was still without a shirt, turned to Bulma, "We'll discuss this later." He muttered and leaned down to pick up the toddler, who was already pulling on his pant leg to get his attention.

Bulma watched as a shirtless Vegeta walked out of her lab with a child on his hip and couldn't stop the blush that flitted across her cheeks. She was so busy pouring over the information the guys had brought back and worry about Kumi's health, that she hadn't gotten much chance to react to the shirtless prince.

Goku had noticed, but rather than point it out, he kept it to himself and wondered how long it would take the two of them to finally get together.

Vegeta walked down the hall with the girl, who was being oddly quiet. However, when he went towards the stairs instead of the kitchen, she whined and pulled at his hair gently. He growled lowly, "We'll find food once you get dressed, you can't stay in my shirt all day." His lips turned up at the edges so Kumi knew he wasn't really upset with her and she giggled, "But I like it Veggie!" she pulled on the edge of the shirt.

Vegeta chuckled as he walked up the steps, "But I like you in your own clothes." Once they reached the landing, he turned down the hall and opened the door to her room. He sat her down on the bed and ruffled her hair, "Get dressed, I'll find someone to make you something." She grinned up at him from behind her mass of black hair and nodded, "Okay!"

He left the room and shut the door behind him, heading to his room to grab a shirt; he didn't miss the way Bulma looked at him without one.

Kumi was waiting for him in the kitchen when he entered, munching on an apple at the table. She was dressed in a pink shirt and pale blue overalls, but her hair was in a tangled mess that tumbled down her shoulders. Kakarot was also in the kitchen, looking through the refrigerator for food.

"I think there's some leftovers from last night, Kumi." The girl clapped her hands happily at the announcement and kicked her feet to a rhythm Vegeta didn't know as he sat down heavily in the seat next to her.

Kakarot began dishing out a plate for the girl and himself as Vegeta ran a hand over his face, pausing to rub at the bridge of his nose; he was beyond exhausted. Since they'd brought Kumi back from the base, he'd been going back and forth bringing research notes and destroying the facility; he hadn't slept since the night before and was beginning to feel it.

A small finger poked at his cheek and he turned his head, his tired dark eyes met curious green ones. Kumi looked at him with concern, "Are you tired, Veggie?" He just nodded, watching as she pursed her lips, her little brows knitting in a pout.

She stood on her chair, small fists on her hips and leveled her gaze with his, "Go to bed, Veggie." She said, her small voice about as intimidating and deep as a toddler's voice could get, "Carrot will take care of me while you rest!" She gave him a lopsided grin, her eyes crinkling at the edges.

Vegeta closed his eyes with a smirk and chuckled lowly, "If that's what you want, this idiot taking care of you…" he said, watching said idiot continue to pile food on plate after plate, quickly running out of counter space and panicking.

Kumi pushed at his arm and he let himself be pushed out of his chair and into a standing position. She hopped down from her seat and continued to push at his legs until he was out of the kitchen, "Go sleep, Veggie!" she demanded, and he held his hands up in surrender with a sigh, "Alright, alright, I'm going."

He turned to her, barley holding back a laugh at her crossed arms and tapping foot. He ruffled her hair and turned towards the stairs, "Be good, kid."

Kumi watched Veggie trudge up the stairs before turning to the table where Carrot was putting down the last few plates, piled high with leftovers from the night before. Her stomach growled loudly, and he laughed, waving her over to eat.

After stuffing their faces, Carrot left to go back to his own home, promising Kumi that he'd be back later with Gohan so they could train again. Kumi watched from the sliding glass door and yawned, knuckling her eyes. Her stomach was stuffed, and she felt sleepy.

She padded her way up the stairs and down the hall to her room. As she passed the many doors that lined the hall, she saw one that was cracked open slightly. Curious, Kumi pushed it open further and peeked inside.

It was Veggie's room, and he was sprawled on the bed in the middle of the room, an arm slung over his eyes and the other hung uselessly to the side. It was dark and the blinds on the windows were drawn shut, the tiniest bit of sunlight peeking in through the sides. Satisfied with her search, Kumi turned to leave, when a small noise made her freeze, her hand tightening on the knob.

It was the smallest noise, one that she almost didn't hear; it sounded like a whimper, sharp but quiet. She turned to look back at the man on the bed. The hand that was limply hanging off the bed a moment ago was now clutching at the sheets as he tossed and turned. _Nightmare_ , she thought, closing the door with a small kick.

Slowly, she made her way to the bed, careful not to scare him awake; she knew how scary nightmares were and she didn't want to make it any worse. Once it had looked like he had finished tossing himself around, Kumi carefully got on the bed and knelt next to him. She gently ran the back of her hand down his sweaty cheek, shushing him like her momma used to do when she had nightmares. Her gut twisted at the thought of her mother, but she pushed it aside and focused on helping Veggie.

He stopped whimpering, but his chest still heaved with heavy breaths, and Kumi took this as a good sign. She gently tugged the hand clutching the sheets to her, holding on to his thumb in a fist. Then she curled up to him, laying her head on his chest, and began to hum quietly. She stayed like that until her eyelids began to droop and she fell asleep to the sound of his racing heartbeat slow to soft booms in her ears.

This was how Bulma found them a few hours later, when she ventured out of her lab to find a quiet and empty house. She knocked quietly before she opened the door to Vegeta's room. The soft sound of snores greeted her ears and she remembered his long night. Just as she began to leave, she saw Kumi's tail flick up above her before wrapping itself around Vegeta's arm. She was tucked into his chest, her head resting in the place between his chest and his shoulder. His arm engulfed her, coming up to cradle her to him tightly as if he was afraid that she would slip through his fingers.

If Bulma looked closer, she would see that Kumi held the mans' finger in her small fist, and her heart fluttered. They looked so cute just laying there, that she raised her phone to snap a cute picture of them; after making sure the flash was off, of course.

She leaned against the door frame, just watching them sleep for another moment or two, before closing the door quietly and heading back down the hall. She decided two things as she made her way down the stairs to greet the fighter that had arrived.

1\. That maybe Vegeta wasn't so bad and she should shoot her shot before the androids destroyed everything in the coming years.

And 2. That he would make a wonderful father.

* * *

 **Sorry its so short, but I thought this was the perfect ending and didn't want to hurt Kumi again, ya know?**

 **Lemme know what you guys think!**

 **Until Next Time Lovelies,**

 **~Shikamaru'sLove**


End file.
